Car Rental for Under 19's

In most countries, car rental companies only cater for drivers that are older than 21 or 23 years of age. Even in South Africa it can be quite difficult to get a company that does’nt wrinkle their noses at younger drivers.

Why on earth do we qualify for licenses once we reach the age of eighteen? I’ve asked this question numerous times over the years.
I think the fact that its so hard to rent a car if your under-21 can be compared to the same reasoning applied to car insurance. The younger you are the more you pay. And, if you are under 25 then your payments per month are particularly more than someone of lets say 30 years of age.

As far as I know, it’s because there’s a larger risk involved with younger drivers. The high accident rate obtained by some reckless under 21 drivers has caused young drivers from all over immense distress.

For tourists, students and anyone under 21, travelling can be quite an issue. A country like South Africa for instance has barely any form of decent affordable public transport. A private taxi is very highly priced, trains are dangerous and local minivan taxi’s are generally overcrowded.

Now where will you find reliable, affordable transport?

Browsing the Internet I found very few car rental sites who considered renting cars to people under 21. Eventually I found one specific site who took under 21’s into consideration.

I could barely believe it! A car hire company who trusts someone under the age of 25? Even better- a car rental company who caters for under 21’s, under 20’s AND under 19’s!

I was quickly inspecting the website, trying to find some or other catch somewhere in the text. Nothing. They have one or two specific requirements and that’s it.

They even state that they will meet all your car rental requirements and rent you a car that’s affordable, reliable and economical. Being economical is quite important as South Africa has been hit by numerous petrol hikes in the last couple of months.

As an added bonus, you can collect and drop off your car almost anywhere in South Africa. Not only do you get unlimited kilometres and insurance, you can also cross the South African border into neighboring countries.

SO if you have a valid drivers license, a clean record and your 18 years or older, you can relax! Whenever you need a car rental in South Africa you will be able to get it. Under 19, 20 or 21’s rest assured!
Car Rental for Under 19's
Author: Robert

Car Rental on Vacation

The most common time a person will rent a car is when on vacation. If you fly to your vacation destination, bringing your car with you is simply not an option. Some areas have public transportation you can use, but getting a taxi service every time you want to go out is not only an added expensive, but also an impracticality. Unless you intend to explore the same area each and every day of your vacation, you are going to need a rental car.

Because so many travelers turn to car rental, most of the country’s airports have car rental companies that are stationed right inside the airport. Airport car rental is a convenient option for travelers. You can make your reservations before you arrive, and your car is waiting for you when you get to your destination. All you do is sign a few pieces of paperwork, pay for the rental car, and away you go! Airport car rental is becoming almost a necessity for travelers, as more and more people are flying to their vacation destinations. If you are planning on taking advantage of airport car rental on your next vacation, remember to check with the airport to see all of the car rental companies they have. Explore your options so that you can get the best price on your rental car.

Should You Take Rental Car Insurance - Tips and Know How

When renting a car for business or personal purposes one of the questions that may come up is do you need rental car insurance. Auto insurance protects you from unforeseen circumstances. When renting a car most car rental agencies will try and sell you auto insurance coverage.

Auto insurance sold by car rental firms will include:

• Collision Damage Waiver or Loss Damage Waiver which will protect you against damage or theft of rental car. The coverage is however void if you drive under intoxication, have an accident due to speeding, or drive on unpaved roads.

• Liability Insurance as required by the law of your state. This gives excess liability coverage but will not suffice in case of a serious accident.

• Personal Accident Insurance covering you and the passengers for medical and ambulance bills.

• Personal Effects Coverage that protects personal items from theft.

But before you buy any coverage you must consider:

a. If you rent cars very often then it will be cheaper for you to purchase a non-owner insurance coverage that will protect you and your spouse and will most probably include uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, personal injury protection or PIP, and medical coverage. However, you may need to buy a collision damage waiver from the rental company to protect the rental vehicle.

b. You need to check with your own auto insurance policy whether it covers rental cars. More often than not the liability coverage limits that exist on the auto insurance policy owned by you will be effective for rental cars too. Just check with your policy whether it covers rental cars.

c. Many credit cards offer coverage. So check whether your card offers this facility and what the specific terms and conditions are. Find out if you need to be enrolled to get coverage.

d. The latest in car rentals is being responsible for damaged caused by “acts of nature.” Ensure that you understand what each phrase in the car rental contract means and always dig in your heels and demand a clear explanation for any clauses you don’t understand. Check if your personal auto insurance policy covers “acts of nature” for rental cars.

e. Auto insurance coverage for rental vehicles differs from company to company so find out clearly who and what is covered by the auto insurance in case of a rental car. Many policies may cover only you or you and your spouse.

f. If you are renting a car outside the US your auto insurance policy may not cover loss and damage to the rented vehicle or liability injury. When traveling abroad you may need additional coverage.

g. Find out before you rent a vehicle if the auto rental company includes basic automobile liability and standard comprehensive insurance protection as well as theft insurance as part of the service at no additional charge.

Before you decide on rental car insurance surf the World Wide Web and read up on rental car advice as well as auto insurance needs written by experts in the travel and insurance business. This will update you on the latest requirements and introduce you to auto insurance necessities. This knowledge will enable you to take the right decisions.

Should You Take Rental Car Insurance - Tips and Know How
By Barry Allen